Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Jaconaut muslin round dress, made to button behind; the body is high with a small collar, which is open in front, so as to display the throat a little. The back is full; the lower part of the front is ornamented with byas tucks, and the upper part plain. The skirt is of a moderate fullness, and rather longer than they have been lately worn; it is finished round the bottom with six or eight very small tucks, put as close as possible together, and surmounted by a full deep flounce of the same material as the dress; this flounce has a deep heading, through which is drawn a bright rose coloured riband.

Over this dress is worn a spenser, composed of rose coloured velvet, elegantly ornamented with white satin, intermixed with narrow rose coloured silk trimming. The spenser is made tight to the shape, and finished at the throat with white satin formed into puffings by this trimming. Plain long sleeves, of a moderate width. Half sleeve and cuff to correspond with the trimming of the throat. Leghorn bonnet of a French shape, and trimmed in the Parisian style with large rows of riband to correspond with the spenser. It ties with a very full bow under the chin. A rich lace frill stands up round the throat. Swansdown muff, straw coloured kid sandals and gloves.

THE EVENING DRESS.

A Fawn coloured crape frock over a white satin slip; the body, which is cut very low all round the bust, is loose; it is extremely short, and confined to the waist by a narrow cestus of white satin, fastened in front by a brilliant clasp. The body is ornamented round the bust by a single fall of Mecklin lace, disposed in large plaits. Very short full sleeve, finished at the bottom by a rouleau of white satin, and narrow lace plaited to correspond. The trimming of the skirt is a double row of white satin, Spanish puffs made very full, and set in byas.

The hind hair is brought up high, and disposed in front of the forehead in a large tuft. The front hair is slightly parted, and curled very full upon the forehead. A garland of Provence roses is placed rather far back to the left side. Ear-rings and necklace of pearl. Spangled crape fan. White kid gloves, and white satin slippers.
—The Lady's Monthly Museum, Volume 6, 1817

1 comments:

One of the Ackermann's plates for November also shows a row of those Spanish puffs above a deep flounce. There'll be a pic on EK Duncan's excellent blog. Bizarre decoration! The next month of course would see all those frothy pale dresses relegated to the dyer for the obligatory national mourning for princess Charlotte, and more heavy-looking decoration which always seems to me to detract from the pure line of the clothing.

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A Polite Explanation

There’s a big difference in how we use history. But we’re equally nuts about it. To us, the everyday details of life in the past are things to talk about, ponder, make fun of -- much in the way normal people talk about their favorite reality show.

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